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Grammar Gripes and Other Psycholinguistic Squawkings

Discussion in 'General Discussions' started by Baraka_Guru, Aug 6, 2011.

Page 11 of 25
  1. Fangirl

    Fangirl Very Tilted

    Location:
    Arizona
    Jennifer Garner is so pretty (and educated)!
    Conan was at his funniest when he wrote for the Simpsons.
     
    Fangirl, Dec 9, 2011
    #201
  2. Phi Eyed

    Phi Eyed Getting Tilted

    Location:
    Ramsdale
    I went to Target, I bought some groceries 'and what not'.
    Is this said instead of "other stuff" or "unmentionables"? I don't see the need for filler what not, like that.

    I also can't deal with : "to the fact that".....hu????
     
    Phi Eyed, Dec 9, 2011
    #202
  3. Baraka_Guru

    Baraka_Guru Möderätor Staff Member

    Location:
    Toronto
    It generally means unidentified stuff somewhat related to what was already mentioned. I think it's better to say "and whatnot" rather than read off an itemized receipt.

    Our speech and writing is filled with extraneous words and phrasing. I'm always removing "in fact" and similar phrasing from writing. In most cases, the factual status of a statement isn't something a writer should be pointing out to a reader. Also consider what's implied when people say "to be honest." Um...as opposed to....?
     
    Baraka_Guru, Dec 9, 2011
    #203
    • Like Like x 1
  4. Fangirl

    Fangirl Very Tilted

    Location:
    Arizona
    At the end of the day, if I hear "At the end of the day," one more time, someone is getting thumped (metaphorically speaking, of course).
     
    Fangirl, Dec 9, 2011
    #204
  5. Baraka_Guru

    Baraka_Guru Möderätor Staff Member

    Location:
    Toronto
    Hate....hate.... (Almost as bad as "going forward"!)
     
    Baraka_Guru, Dec 9, 2011
    #205
  6. uncle phil

    uncle phil Moderator Emeritus (and sorely missed) Staff Member Donor

    Location:
    pasco county
    has to be a photoshopped dictionary...

    [​IMG]
    --- merged: Dec 9, 2011 9:27 PM ---
     
    uncle phil, Dec 9, 2011
    #206
  7. uncle phil

    uncle phil Moderator Emeritus (and sorely missed) Staff Member Donor

    Location:
    pasco county
    have i mentioned 'as of yet' yet?

    jeebus, people, this was jr. high school grammar...
     
    uncle phil, Dec 11, 2011
    #207
  8. Baraka_Guru

    Baraka_Guru Möderätor Staff Member

    Location:
    Toronto
    Um, phil....

    *ahem*

    ...

    ...they don't teach formal grammar in school anymore....
     
    Baraka_Guru, Dec 11, 2011
    #208
  9. Phi Eyed

    Phi Eyed Getting Tilted

    Location:
    Ramsdale
    My Christmas tree is about ten "foot." A lot of somebodies slept through first grade.
     
    Phi Eyed, Dec 11, 2011
    #209
  10. Lindy

    Lindy Moderator Staff Member

    Location:
    Nebraska
    We could certainly add "as I said earlier" to the removables roster.

    Lindy
     
    Lindy, Dec 11, 2011
    #210
    • Like Like x 1
  11. Phi Eyed

    Phi Eyed Getting Tilted

    Location:
    Ramsdale
    I know what "and what not" means, I just don't know why you'd take the extra time to add three additional syllables when you could've just as easily told us the specifics. So, in saying it,
    you are not saving any time at all, if that's the intention. Otherwise, its' just a bad habit. I think users are trying to heighten the mystery of what they are saying. Hum, whatever do they mean by "and what not?" condoms? Contraband?

    I say " as I said earlier" on a daily basis; holding the listener accountable for not listening the first time.
     
    Phi Eyed, Dec 12, 2011
    #211
  12. Baraka_Guru

    Baraka_Guru Möderätor Staff Member

    Location:
    Toronto
    I dunno.... I think sparing people from boredom is a virtue.
     
    Baraka_Guru, Dec 12, 2011
    #212
    • Like Like x 2
  13. Baraka_Guru

    Baraka_Guru Möderätor Staff Member

    Location:
    Toronto
    I keep refraining from informing various family members on Facebook about their neglecting the apostrophe and e in you're.

    A common example:

    "Ya your right LOL!"
     
    Baraka_Guru, Dec 15, 2011
    #213
  14. LBIISLANDER

    lbiislander New Member

    Location:
    Westchester County, NY
    I don't think conversate is a word.
    --- merged: Dec 22, 2011 12:55 AM ---
    And if I hear another person say "fustrate" or fustrated, I may write Webster and see if they will change the word.
     
    lbiislander, Dec 21, 2011
    #214
  15. Baraka_Guru

    Baraka_Guru Möderätor Staff Member

    Location:
    Toronto
    If it's not a word, then how did you type it?

    The construction of conversate is built in the same way words with a similar suffix are built: liquidate, complicate, frustrate, etc. The only thing, really, that brings conversate into contention is the existence of another perfectly fine word (i.e. converse) that makes the -ate construction redundant.

    But let's face it: the English language has a lot of oddities.

    Conversate is a backward construction from conversation (like frustrate is a backward construction from frustration). It stands in for converse. Converse itself comes from the Old French (converser) from Latin (conversari).

    Complicate comes simply from the Latin verb complicare.

    So you get:

    conversari > converser > converse

    but

    complicare > complicate

    Why not complica or complicare directly? Why complicate?

    Because it's complicated.
     
    Baraka_Guru, Dec 21, 2011
    #215
  16. LBIISLANDER

    lbiislander New Member

    Location:
    Westchester County, NY
    How about height pronounced with a "th" at the end?
     
    lbiislander, Dec 21, 2011
    #216
  17. uncle phil

    uncle phil Moderator Emeritus (and sorely missed) Staff Member Donor

    Location:
    pasco county
    heighth?

    i don't think so...
     
    uncle phil, Dec 21, 2011
    #217
  18. davynn

    davynn Getting Tilted

    Location:
    East coast U.S.A.
    I'm annoyed when I see people using texting shortcuts in everyday writing. BF ... best friend, BF ... boy friend, BF ... brain fart ... etc.
     
    davynn, Jan 8, 2012
    #218
  19. RiverWolf

    RiverWolf Vertical

    Although I do hate text speak, I have to admit, my grammar does tend to get a little sloppy when posting from my mobile.
     
    RiverWolf, Jan 10, 2012
    #219
  20. Lindy

    Lindy Moderator Staff Member

    Location:
    Nebraska
    As in your mobile what? ;)
     
    Lindy, Jan 10, 2012
    #220
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